Oil cleaner



March 22, 1949. H. KENNlS ON Em. 2,465,021

OIL CLEANER Filed Dec. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mamh 22, 1949. V KE N ETAL 2,465,021

OIL CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1945 Patented Mar. 22, 1949 OIL CLEANER Haven Kennison and Rudy L Peterson, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 1'7, 1945, Serial No. 635,444 7 Claims. (Cl. 210-57) Our invention relates to an improvement in oil cleaners wherein it is desired to provide a simple and cfiicient apparatus for removing foreign particles from oil and the like.

In most oil filters with which we are familiar oil is forced through a body of filtering material which acts to strain foreign particles from the oil. Some oil filters are likewise provided with a sediment trap into which foreign particles may settle. Most of these previous devices, however, soon become fouled to such an extent as to render the filters inoperable to serve their intended purpose.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an oil cleaner which separates sludge from oil as the oil travels about a spiral path. Movement of the oil along this pathtends to force foreign particles and sludge outwardly against the wall of an outer container permitting these foreign particles and sludge to drain into a sludge receptacle.

A- feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a means for guiding oil through a spiral path and to then guide the oil upwardly with a relatively sharp change of separate sludge and foreign particles from the oil.

A further feature of the present inventionv resides in the provision of an outer casing and an inner member supported within the casing in close proximity to the inner walls of the outer casing. Oil is permitted to travel between the two casmgs.

' A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an oil cleaner having an outer casing and an inner baffle. Spiral grooves are provided between the outer casing and the inner baflie so as to guide the oil in a downwardly extending spiral path between the casing and: the baffle.

These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims;

In the drawings forming apart of our specification:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through our oil cleaner showing the construction thereof.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the casing of the filter shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the casing shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational View. of the cleaner element which is positioned within the outer cas- Figure 5 is a m dified form of construction in which additional oil bailies are: provided.

direction to The oil cleaner A illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 of the drawings comprises a casing Ill having an upper ball shaped portion H and a lower ball shaped portion 12 which are connected by a connecting neck I3. The casing l0 may be formed of any suitable material and ma be formed in several parts connected together or may be formed in two parts as illustrated.

The upper ball shaped portion I l of the casing Ill includes upper and lower semi-spherical sections l4 and I5 respectively. The sections It and I5 are provided with marginal flanges i6 and I1 respectively which are bolted together by bolts or other means I9. A gasket 20 is preferably provided between the two sections l4 and it to seal the joint therebetween.

A boss 2| extends vertically from the top of the section I4 and an aligned boss 22 extends inwardly from the hollow semi-spherical shell M. The aligned bosses 2| and '22 form a nipple extending partially into the upper section I4 and extending partially externally thereof. The bosses 2| and 22 are provided with an axial opening 23 therethrough which is internally threaded. A nipple 24 is partially threaded into the boss 22 and projects inwardly therefrom.

Within the upper portion H of the body Ii! we provide a bafile 25. This baffle 25 is provided with a flat or slightly tapered upper surface 26 and a spherical wall 21 having an outer diameter to fit within the inner wall of the upper portion I l of the body Ill. The flat upper bafile surface 26 is provided with a downwardly extending boss or sleeve 29 thereupon which is internally threaded to receive the projecting end of the nipple 24.

In other words, the baffle 25 fits within the upper section II of the casing and is supported by the nipple 24 mounted in the boss 22. As a result the nipple 24 may provide not only a support for the baflle 2'5, but also a means of egress of the oil from the interior of the bafile 25.

The baflle 25 is provided with an outer grooved surface as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The spiral grooves 30 extend around the exterior of the spherical wall 21 of the bafile and act to guide oil along a spiral path between the bafile 25 and the inner wall of the upper portion ll of the casing. An aperture 3| is provided at the lower extremity of the bafile 25 through which oil may enter the interior of the hollow bafile. The bafile 25 is shown as having projecting ribs 32 between the grooves 30. In actual practice these ribs 32 may be. formed by some other means such as by winding. wire .or rod spirally about'the outer'wall of theibaflieizl in a manner to produce spiral grooves between adjacent convolutions. The intent of the structure is to guide the oil along a downwardly extending spiral path as it passes between the baffle 25 and the casing.

It will be noted that the baffle 25 is slightly spaced from the inner wall of the casing ID. The space provided between the baiiie and the casing is ordinarily not sufficient to permit the flow of oil to merely travel down the inner walls of the casing without being affected by the spiral grooves. The space between the baffle and the casing, however, permits the sludge in the oil to be deposited upon the inner casing wall in position to drain downwardly as the oil follows its spiral path. Obviously a certain amount of oil will be permitted to flow downwardly along the casing wall. This oil helps to flush the sediment and impurities of the oil downwardly into the lower portion I2 of the casing Ill.

The neck I3 of the casing is provided with an axial passage 33 therethrough through which sediment and impurities may drop into the lower casing portion l2. An internally threaded sleeve 34 is provided at the lower extremity of the casing portion l2 for accommodation of a plug 35. By removing the plug 35 the collected sediment in the casing portion l2 may be drained and removed.

In operation the oil cleaner is placed in the oil line to receive oil usually under some pressure. A boss 38 extends tangentially from the upper portion ll of the casing l near the upper extremity thereof. A passage extends through this boss 38 and communicates with the interior of the upper casing portion above the level of the baffle 25. Thus the oil entering the upper portion of the cleaner is urged in a circular direction about the top of the baffle, creating a circular movement of the oil which tends to guide the oil into the grooves 30.

The oil is thus guided into the spiral grooves 3|] where it travels downwardly in a spiral path. The movement of the oil in this spiral path tends to throw the impurities and sludge carried by the oil against the inner surface of the casing wall. This sludg is free to drain slowly downwardly along the inner casing wall into the lower ball shaped portion [2 of the casing. This downward movement of the sludge and impurities is aided by the portion of oil which flows downwardly exteriorly of the ribs 32.

The oil after passing the baiiie 25 fills the sludge receptacle l2 and then passes through the aperture 3! filling or partially filling the interior of the baflie 25. The oil then passes through the nipple 24 and the passage 23 to continue along the oil line. Oncethe oil cleaner has been filled with oil, movement of oil through the cleaner begins immediately upon intro-duction of more oil through the inlet 35.

We have illustrated the baffle 25 as having a spherical bottom portion extending from the flat top 26 to the lower extremity of the baille. It is not entirely essential that the bafile be as long as is illustrated to accomplish its result. In Figure 5 of ahe drawings we disclose a baiile which is considerably shorter than the bailie 25 and which may be used in place thereof.

The oil cleaner B, illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, includes an upper shell shaped section 36 and a lower shell shaped section 31 connected by a connecting neck 39. An integral sleeve 40 is provided at the bottom of the lower section 31. This sleeve 40 is internally threaded dates an externally threaded nipple 49 4 at 4| to accommodate the drainage plug not 11- lustrated in the drawings.

The section 36 is preferably formed of two semi-spherical shells 42 and 43 which are provided with integral flanges 44 and 45, respectively, connected by some means such as by the bolts 46. An internally threaded sleeve 41 is provided at the top of the uppermost shell 42 which sleeve extends partially into the casing and extends partially out of the casing. The inwardly extending sleeve portion accommowhich acts as a support for the baflie 50.

The battle 50 is provided with a flat or slightly tapered top 5| and a double wall 52 having an arcuated outer surface. Ribs 53 which are in spaced relation and are spiral in shape are provided on the outer surface of the wall 52 producing grooves 54 between the ribs through which oil may flow.

The bafile 50 is provided with a central boss 55 which is internally threaded to accommodate the nipple 49. The baffle 50 is preferably provided with its outer surface in slightly spaced relation to the interior walls of the casing section 36.

As an added battle to assist in removing sludge and impurities, we provide a cylindrical sleeve 53 concentric with the central boss 55 and depending from the top portion 5| 0f the bafile 50. This sleeve 55 extends into overlapping relation with a concentric cylindrical sleeve 51 which extends upwardly from the lower shell 43 adjacent the passage 59 through the neck 39. Passages 60 are provided between the lower extremities of the sleeve 57 and the shell 43 to permit the sludge and impurities to drain into the sludge trap portion 3'! The operation of this type of cleaner is similar to that previously described, oil enters the inlet 6| and tends to travel in a circular direction. The oil is guided outwardly by the baflle 50, passing through the spiral passages 54 between the grooves 53. This spiral movement of the oil tends to throw impurities and sludge outwardly against the inner casing wall where it is free to drain downwardly into the sludge trap portion 31.

The oil flows into the lower shell 43 outwardly of the cylindrical sleeve 51 and is deflected upwardly over the top of this sleeve. This quick change in direction of the oil assists in removing impurities therefrom. The apertures 60 are of insufiicient size to accommodate the flow of oil and thus prevent a by-pass of the oil directly into the inner bafile sleeve 56.

After passing over the upper extremity of the sleeve 5'! the oil travels downwardly again before its direction is changed to pass through the oil 62. Thus with the cleaner B there are additional quick changes of direction in the flow of oil which tend to assist in removing foreign particles therefrom.

In accordance with the Patent Statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of our oil cleaner and while We have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. An oil cleaner comprising an outer casing, a baiile in said casing in closely spaced relation to the walls thereof, an oil inlet at the top of said casing and an outlet within said baflle, said bafiie guiding the oil between said bafile and said casing, and downwardly inclined grooves, the grooves being substantially deeper than the distance between the bafile and the casing in the outer surface of said baille.

2. An oil cleaner comprising a ball shaped casing, a baiiie within said casing, said baiiie being shaped to fit the contour of the inner surface of said casing and spaced slightly therefrom, an oil inlet above said baffle, downwardly inclined grooves in the periphery of said bafiie, said grooves guiding oil about the periphery of said baflle as it flows downwardly, a sediment receptacle below said baffle and an outlet from said casing.

3. An oil cleaner comprising a casing, a baille within said casing, a series of downwardly inclined grooves in said baille through which oil may flow, an oil outlet at the top of said casing, a boss projecting downwardly in said casing through which the outlet extends a nipple in said boss, said nipple extending into said battle for supporting the same, said baflle being engageable against said boss to properly locate the baille, an oil inlet above said bafiie and a passage through said baflle communicating with said nipple to provide an oil outlet.

4. An oil cleaner comprising an outer casing, a baflle within said casing, said baffie having a series of peripheral grooves thereabout for guiding oil about the periphery of the baflie as it travels between said baiile and said casing, an oil inlet above said baflle, an upstanding baflie extending within said first named bafile, and an auxiliary baflle on said first named bafile extending downwardly from said first named bafile into overlapping relation with said second baille, a sediment receptacle below said baifie and an outlet communicating with the interior of said auxiliary bafile.

5. An oil cleaner comprising an outer casing, a bafiie within said casing, an oil inlet above said bafiie, passage means between said baflie and said casing, said passage means guiding oil passing the baflle about the periphery of the baflie, and a pair of substantially cylindrical ring-shaped bafiles arranged one within the other, the outer of said ring-shaped bailles extending upwardly within said casing and the other of said ring shaped baflies extending downwardly from said first named baiile into said outer ring shaped bafile, a sediment receptacle below said baflle and an oil outlet in the top of the casing communi- 6 eating with the interior of said other ring shaped baflle.

6. An oil cleaner comprising an outer casing, a bafile within said casing, an oil inlet above said baffle, passage means between said baffle and said casing, said passage means guiding oil passing the baflle about the periphery of the baffle, and a pair of substantially cylindrical ring-shaped bailles arranged one within the other, the outer of said ring-shaped baffles extending upwardly within said casing and the other of said ring shaped baiiles extending downwardly from said first named baffle into said outer ring shaped baiile, and an oil outlet in the top of the casing communicating with the interior of said other ring shaped baflie, said first ring-shaped baffle having apertures therethrough at the juncture of said baille and said casing to permit sludge to drain therethrough.

7. An oil cleaner comprising a ball shaped compartment, a battle within said compartment having an outer shape to fit a contour of the inner walls of said casing and spaced slightly therefrom, spiral groove means between said baflie and said casing, an oil inlet above said baffie, a sludge chamber beneath said ball shaped casing and communicating therewith, and an oil outlet at the top of said ball shaped casing, said outlet extending through said baflle.

HAVEN KENNISON. RUDY I. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,058,113 Stuckel Apr. 8, 1913 1,173,725 Ludwig et al Feb. 29, 1916 1,176,732 Bowser Mar. 28, 1916 1,456,438 Hesselman May 22, 1923 1,540,206 Crickmer June 2, 1925 1,972,057 Somers Aug. 28, 1934 2,205,336 Beach June 18, 1940 2,346,005 Bryson Apr. 4, 1944 2,364,799 Laughlin et a1. Dec. 12, 1944 2,378,632 Hooker et a1. June 19, 1945 2,381,760 Latham, Jr. Aug. 7, 1945 2,432,308 Goodyer Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 551,058 France May 6, 1922 

